Families in despair

HAPPY MEMORY NOW INCITES PAIN: Shamin Ahmed, one of the two Bangladeshis killed in police firing in Saudi Arabia on June 6, with wife Aleya Akhter and daughters Sadia (on lap) and Jannatul Ferdous Upama. Photo: Collected

The family members and relatives of two Bangladeshis, who were shot dead in Saudi Arabia on June 6, seemed inconsolable as this correspondent visited their house on Monday. 

The victims, Md Shah Poran, 30, son of Nurul Islam, and Shamim Ahmed, 45, son of late Suruj Mia of Bhairab municipality's Chandiber Madhyapara area in Kishoreganj district, are cousins.

"Shah Poran went to Saudi Arabia 14 years ago. He came home last year, got married and left for Saudi Arabia in November. He had a plan to perform hajj with my parents this year and sent money for the purpose," said Shah Poran's elder brother Borhan Uddin.

Shamim, a poultry trader, also went to Saudi Arabia four months ago.

"My another brother Mizanur Rahman, who also stays in Saudi Arabia, said to help Shamim solve his problem with work permit, Shah Poran with Shamim went to Alkatif area around 9:30pm on June 6 in a rented car.

"Following a feud between Shia and Sunni communities in the area, the local administration imposed Section 144 there but Poran and Shamim did not know the matter.

"The on-duty policemen asked them to stop but the car driver marched forward. The policemen then fired on the car and Poran, Shamim and Mahbubur Rahman, 44, hailing from Chanchara village in Bhairab, got critically injured.

"They were taken to a local hospital where the doctors declared Poran and Shamim dead. Mahbubur is undergoing treatment," said Borhan.

As Shamim's daughter Tamanna Nusrat Toma was crying for justice for the killings of his father and uncle, visitors became speechless.

"Could it be the reason for firing when foreigners did not know the decision of local administration? The police could fire in the tyres of the car to stop it," said Toma who passed the SSC examinations as a science student with GPA-5 this year.

"I talked with my father on June 5. He said he will send money for us to buy clothes for the coming Eid," said Toma, who has three school going siblings.

Toma's mother Aleya Akhter said, "During a talk on last Monday, he (Shamim) asked me about the children and what I prepared for iftar."

"We have nothing but the homestead and now I am worried about the future of my four children. Toma is scheduled for admission to a local college on June 20 but now even the admission fee is a serious matter for me. Shamim had a dream to see Toma as a doctor.

"We don't have the ability to bring my husband's body to the country," said a sobbing Aleya.

Family members of the victims have demanded proper investigation and justice for the tragic incident.